Transcript:The Moment of Truth
KILGHARRAH In a land of myth and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young boy. His name: Merlin. -- EALDOR – DAY people of Ealdor go about their day, but scatter when bandits come riding through. KANEN Search the place! Find him! bring Matthew to Kanen with his arms full of food. KANEN It's harvest time. hand him a couple of the bags Matthew was carrying. KANEN What is this? Where's the rest of it? MATTHEW I only kept back what we need to survive. KANEN Survive? I'll be back in one week, farmer, and I want to see all of it. HUNITH You can't take our food! Our children will starve! I won't let you do this! tries to grab the bags that Kanen took. HUNITH You're not taking any of it! smacks Hunith, who falls to the ground. VILLAGER Hunith! villager runs to help Hunith; Kanen shoots him with a crossbow. KANEN I will give you a week. Don't you dare disappoint me. I'll see you later, sweetheart. bandits ride off. Matthew helps Hunith get up. -- LOWER TOWN – DAY walks into Camelot. Merlin sees her as he's collecting water from the well. MERLIN Mother? HUNITH Merlin! goes to hug him, but he notices her bruise. MERLIN What happened? Who did this to you?! OPENING CREDITS -- KING’S PALACE, THRONE ROOM – DAY stands before Uther and the court. HUNITH The winters are harsh in Ealdor, and there are many children. Some of them just won't be strong enough to survive. We barely have enough food as it is, and if Kanen takes our harvest, our children won't live to see another summer. Please, we need your help. UTHER Ealdor's in Cenred's kingdom. Your safety is his responsibility. HUNITH We've appealed to our King, but he cares little for the outlying regions. You're our only hope. UTHER I have the deepest sympathy for you and would have this barbarian wiped off the face of the earth. HUNITH You'll help us? UTHER I wish I could. ARTHUR Surely we can spare a few men? UTHER Resources are not the problem. MORGANA Then what is? UTHER Ealdor lies beyond the Ridge of Essetir. For an army of Camelot to enter it would be an act of war. drops to her knees. HUNITH I know you're a good king, a caring man. I'm begging you, help us, please. UTHER The accord we've struck with Cenred was years in the making. I cannot risk hundreds of lives for the sake of one village. I'm afraid Camelot cannot help. glares at Uther and escorts Hunith out. -- KING’S PALACE, BATTLEMENTS – DAY looks out over Camelot. Merlin joins him. ARTHUR I'm sorry. If it were up to me, we'd be on our way there now. MERLIN You tried. And thank you for getting an audience with the King. ARTHUR I wish that Camelot was able to help people regardless of how far away they lived. MERLIN I'm going back to Ealdor. ARTHUR Of course. MERLIN It's been an honour serving you. ARTHUR You'll be coming back. MERLIN Well, she's my mother. I have got to look after her before anyone else. You understand? ARTHUR I'd do exactly the same. Well, you've been terrible. Really, I mean it. The worst servant I've ever had. MERLIN Thank you, Sire. ARTHUR Merlin. Good luck. -- GWEN’S HOUSE – DAY helps Merlin pack for his trip. GWEN Here. hands Merlin a sword. He starts to reach for the blade and she sucks in her breath. Merlin grabs the hilt. GWEN Tell me how it feels? MERLIN Yeah. Yeah that feel...that feels really good. It's very, erm, you know...swordy. raises her eyebrows. GWEN I've packed some armour for you. MERLIN I won't be able to carry all that. enters dressed in trousers and a corseted tunic. MORGANA You won't have to. We're coming with you. MERLIN What do you mean? GWEN You're going to need all the help you can get. I can mend armour and sharpen swords. MORGANA And I know how to fight. MERLIN But y-y- you can't. I mean, why would you? GWEN If it was the other way around, you'd help us. You already have. You saved my life. MERLIN And you helped me get the druid boy out of Camelot. We owe it to you. Both of us. -- KING’S PALACE, PHYSICIAN'S CHAMBERS – DAY GAIUS You got the food I prepared for you? MERLIN Yes. GAIUS Be careful with the wine. You know what you're like. One whiff of a barmaid's apron and you're singing like a sailor. MERLIN I'll be fine. GAIUS Are you sure you don't want an extra blanket? MERLIN It's okay, really. I'll be alright. GAIUS Well, make sure you are. Do whatever it takes. hugs Merlin. -- ROAD – DAY Morgana, Gwen, and Hunith ride for Ealdor. -- WOODS, CAMP – NIGHT night, Merlin sits at the campfire with his mother, the others asleep. HUNITH They shouldn't be here. Especially the Lady Morgana. Isn't she the King's ward? MERLIN Not that you'd know it. She's the only person I know who isn't frightened of him. HUNITH It won't make any difference to Kanen that they're women. MERLIN I know. But I couldn't talk them out of coming. looks at the healing bruise on his mother's face. MERLIN I want to make him pay for what he did to you. HUNITH Promise me you'll be careful. No one can find out about you. MERLIN They won't. They never do. HUNITH Get some rest. goes to lay down. Merlin takes a burning stick from the fire and blows some flecks into the air. MERLIN ''Draca. '' glowing flecks take the shape of the Pendragon dragon. -- WOODS – NIGHT shifts in his sleep and hears horse in the woods. He draws his sword and goes searching through the dark. Someone puts a sword against his back. ARTHUR I'd ask you for money, but I know you don't have any. MERLIN Arthur! whips around and Arthur ducks as the sword swings near his head. ARTHUR Put the sword down, Merlin. You look ridiculous. takes Merlin's sword and walks toward their camp. -- WOODS, CAMP – NIGHT and Merlin sit at the newly stoked campfire. ARTHUR How much further is it? MERLIN Er, maybe a few hours. ARTHUR How many men does Kanen have? MERLIN Erm, I'm not sure. I think, from what my mother said, maybe as many as forty. ARTHUR You should get some rest. It's going to be a long day tomorrow. MERLIN Thank you. Erm, I know you didn't have to come. ARTHUR Get some sleep. -- ROAD – DAY Merlin, Morgana, Gwen, and Hunith ride for Ealdor. -- EALDOR – DAY burst into the village looking for the rest of the food. MATTHEW Wait. BANDIT What's in here? What's there? KANEN If you're hiding anything from me... party continues to ride. Kanen's men discover a hidden stash. BANDIT Kanen! bandit hold up bags of food. A village woman touches a young girl on the shoulder. VILLAGE WOMAN Stay there. Stay there. MATTHEW Please, we have to eat. KANEN Oh. MATTHEW And re-sow the fields for next year! We only kept the bare minimum! Everything else you can take. KANEN That sounds fair. strikes Matthew, and raises his axe for a final blow. MATTHEW No! throws a sword into the post behind Kanen, rides up, dismounts, fights the bandits. Merlin rides up and dismounts too. KANEN Kill them! fights a bandit. girls arrive and dismount. Merlin caught against a door in his sword fight. MERLIN ''Hætende. '' bandit's sword heats up. Will watches him. Bandit drops sword. Merlin kills him. bandit attacks Arthur from behind, but Morgana parries and kills him. MORGANA Bring back memories of when I used to beat you? ARTHUR That never happened. mounts. KANEN You'll pay for this with your lives! All of you! WILL You still up to the same old magic tricks again? Look, I thought I told you I didn't want your kind around here? smiles and Merlin grins back. MERLIN I miss you, too, Will. hug. MERLIN It's good to see you again. WILL How've you been? I, er, hear you're skivvying for some prince. MERLIN No. I wouldn't say I'm a skivvy. ARTHUR Merlin! Gather the villagers, I need to talk to them. MERLIN Yeah, in a minute. I'm just talking... ARTHUR Now, Merlin. There isn't much time. MERLIN Yes, Sire. addresses the villagers. ARTHUR I know Kanen's kind. He'll be back. And when he is, you must be ready for him. First of all, we have to prepare for... WILL Am I the only one wondering who the hell this is? ARTHUR I'm Prince Arthur of Camelot. WILL (scoff) Yeah, and, er, I'm Prince William of Ealdor. HUNITH Keep quiet. He's here to help us. WILL But he's made things worse. Kanen will be back, and when he is, he'll be looking for revenge. You've just signed our death warrants. HUNITH He saved Matthew's life! ARTHUR That's alright, Hunith. This is his village. What would you have us do? WILL We can't fight against Kanen. He has too many men. ARTHUR So what's the alternative? WILL Give him what he wants. villagers shake their heads. ARTHUR Then what? Those of you who don't starve to death will face him again next harvest! And the harvest after that. WILL We'll manage. We'll survive. VILLAGERS How? ARTHUR The only way he can be stopped is if you stand up to him. WILL No. You just want the honour and glory of battle! That's what drives men like you! Look, if you want to fight, then go home and risk the lives of your own people, not ours! MERLIN Will. HUNITH I'll follow you. If I'm to die, then I want to go out fighting. MATTHEW That goes for me, too. VILLAGE MAN You can count me in. VILLAGE WOMAN I'm in. VILLAGER Me too! VILLAGERS Yeah! VILLAGE MAN You can count me in! -- EALDOR, WILL’S HOUSE – DAY approaches Will. MERLIN He knows what he's doing. You've got to trust him. Look, when I first met Arthur, I was exactly like you. I hated him. I thought he was pompous and arrogant. rights a stand that has a chainmail shirt and tabard on it. WILL Well, nothing's changed there, then. MERLIN But, in time, I came to respect him for what he stands for, what he does. WILL Yeah, I know what he stands for: princes, kings, all men like him. MERLIN Will, don't bring what happened to your father into this. WILL I'm not. Why are you defending him so much? You're just his servant. MERLIN He's also my friend. WILL Friends don't lord it over one another. MERLIN He isn't like that. WILL Really? Well, let's wait until the fighting begins and see who he sends in to die first. I guarantee you, it won't be him. MERLIN I trust Arthur with my life. WILL Is that so? So he knows your secret, then? Look, face it, Merlin You're living a lie. Just like you were here. You're Arthur's servant, nothing more. Otherwise you'd tell him the truth. -- EALDOR, HUNITH’S HOUSE – NIGHT Camelot party sleeps. ARTHUR Have you always slept on the floor? MERLIN Yeah. The bed I've got in Camelot's luxury by comparison. ARTHUR Must've been hard. MERLIN Mmm. It's like rock. ARTHUR I didn't mean the ground. I meant, for you. It must've been difficult. MERLIN Mmm. Not really. I didn't know any different. Life's simple out here. You eat what you grow and everyone pitches in together. As long as you've got food on the table and a roof over your head, you're happy. ARTHUR Sounds...nice. MERLIN You'd hate it. ARTHUR No doubt. Why'd you leave? MERLIN Things just... changed. ARTHUR How? Come on, stop pretending to be interesting. Tell me. MERLIN I just didn't fit in anymore. I wanted to find somewhere that I did. ARTHUR Had any luck? MERLIN I'm not sure yet. ARTHUR We'll start training the men tomorrow. It's gonna be a long day. Get the candle. -- EALDOR, HUNITH’S HOUSE – DAY helps Arthur put his jacket on the next morning. MORGANA You still not learned how to dress yourself? ARTHUR You don't have a dog and fetch the stick yourself. No offence, Merlin. MERLIN None taken. HUNITH Prince Arthur, you didn't finish your breakfast. ARTHUR Didn't I? MORGANA Come on, eat up. pretends to eat it. ARTHUR Mmmmm. hands the bowl off to Gwen. ARTHUR Right. Let's get going. We need wood, and lots of it. MERLIN Of course. finished Arthur's breakfast and hands the bowl to Hunith. GWEN Arthur said it was lovely. HUNITH He must care for you a great deal. MERLIN Arthur'd do the same for any village. That's just the way he is. HUNITH It's more than that. He's here for you. MERLIN I'm just his servant. HUNITH Give him more credit than that. He likes you. MERLIN That's because he doesn't know me. And if he did, I'd probably be dead by now. HUNITH You don't really believe that, do you? -- EALDOR – DAY walks toward the woods with an axe. WILL Merlin! Where are you going with that thing? MERLIN What does it look like? We need wood. WILL We both know that you don't need an axe to fell a tree. MERLIN And I remember the trouble it got me into. I nearly flattened Old Man Simmons. WILL Ha. Yeah, well, he deserved it, stupid old crow. MERLIN Mmm. He never did like me anyway. WILL Well, even less after that. MERLIN (chuckles) Why are you being like this? WILL You know why. Why did you leave? MERLIN It wasn't what I wanted. My mother was worried. When she found out you knew, she was so angry. WILL I wouldn't've told anyone. MERLIN Well, I know you wouldn't. WILL You'd be able to defeat Kanen on your own, wouldn't you? MERLIN I'm not sure. Maybe. WILL Well, so what's stopping you? So what if Arthur finds out? MERLIN I don't expect you to understand. WILL Try me. MERLIN One day Arthur will be a great king, but he needs my help. And if anyone ever found out about my powers, I'd have to leave Camelot for good. WILL Are you telling me you'd rather keep your magic a secret for Arthur's sake than use it to protect your friends and family? -- EALDOR – DAY trains the village men. ARTHUR I won't be able to teach you everything there is to know about fighting with a sword, but you can learn the basics: the stance, how to parry a blow, how to land your own. On my count! One! Two! Three! Four! Now, you may have to watch for the feint. So, keep your feet moving, and only stay in range long enough to land your blow. And again. One! Two! Three! Four! and Gwen watch the training as they sharpen swords. ARTHUR One! Two! Three! Four! MORGANA There is no way they're going to be able to hold Kanen off. GWEN Men aren't the only ones who can fight. ARTHUR Again. One! Two! Three! Matthew. I want you to organise sentry duty to keep an eye out for Kanen and his men. MATTHEW Be glad to. ARTHUR If there's any sign of attack, I want you to ride straight back here. I don't want you fighting all on your own. MATTHEW Ha-ha. (nods) -- EALDOR – DAY draws water from the well to drink. MORGANA Looks like the battle's already fought and lost. ARTHUR They'll toughen up. GWEN They need to. ARTHUR How are we doing for weapons? MORGANA There isn't much, but we should be able to scrape together what you need. GWEN It's not the weapons that worry us. It's having enough people to use them. We think the women should be allowed to fight. MORGANA You haven't enough men. If they were trained soldiers, maybe you'd stand a chance, but they're not. ARTHUR It's too dangerous. walks towards the resting men. ARTHUR Right! Back on your feet! Come on, let's go! -- EALDOR, HUNITH’S HOUSE – NIGHT Camelot party sleeps. GWEN We don't stand a chance. MORGANA Arthur can't see that. He's too stubborn. wakes. GWEN Why do you think he came here? MORGANA The same reason we did: Merlin. Arthur may act like he doesn't care, but he wouldn't be here if he didn't. -- EALDOR, COMMON BUILDING – DAY speaks to the men. ARTHUR We're not going to be able to defend Ealdor with sword and sinew alone. We're going to need a plan. We need to find some way of limiting their mobility and drawing them into a trap. If we fight them on their terms, then... village woman screams. Arthur and the men rush outside to investigate. Matthew is slung over a horse. ARTHUR Get him down from there! village men take Matthew down as villagers gather around. Arthur reads the note that's on the arrow in his back. MERLIN What does it say? ARTHUR "Make the most of this day, it will be your last." FIANCÉ Matthew! No! No! No! WILL You did this! Look what you've done! You've killed him! MERLIN It wasn't his fault. WILL If he hadn't been strutting around, treating us like his own personal army, this would never have happened! ARTHUR These men are brave enough to fight for what they believe in, even if you aren't! WILL You're sending them to their graves! You killed one man. How many more need to die before you realise this a battle that can't be won? When Kanen comes, you haven't got a chance. You're gonna be slaughtered. -- EALDOR, WILL’S HOUSE – DAY follows Will into Will's house. WILL Don't bother, Merlin. I'm not interested. MERLIN You should be. Because tomorrow Kanen attacks, and whether you like it or not, we'll have to fight. WILL Not if I'm not here. MERLIN Well, that's up to you, but the rest of us are staying. Join us, Will! This isn't about Arthur, this is about your friends. Are you really going to abandon them? WILL What, like you did? MERLIN I'm here now. WILL Yeah. Yeah, you are. And you could end this. If you used your magic, then no one else would have to die. MERLIN You know I can't. WILL Can't or won't? I'm not the one abandoning these people, Merlin. You are. -- EALDOR, HUNITH’S HOUSE – DAY sharpens his sword. Merlin sits down next to him. MERLIN William's father was killed fighting for King Cenred, so he doesn't trust anyone of nobility. ARTHUR Do you think the villagers believed him? MERLIN No. He's always been a troublemaker. They're used to ignoring him. ARTHUR And if he's right? MERLIN He isn't. overhears them from inside her house. ARTHUR I'm treating these men like soldiers, and they're not. You've seen them fight. They...they haven't got a clue! You need to tell them all to leave the village before Kanen returns. MERLIN No, we're going to stay. We're going to fight, and we're going to win. ARTHUR Merlin, it can't be done. The odds are too great. MERLIN It can. We're going to make Kanen rue the day he ever came to this village. All you need to do is get the men ready for battle, and the rest will take care of itself. ARTHUR How? MERLIN You've just got to believe in them. Because if you don't, they'll sense it, and the battle'll be lost before it's even begun. -- EALDOR, COMMON BUILDING – NIGHT addresses the villagers. ARTHUR Tomorrow morning, the women and children should gather what belongings they can carry and go to the woods. GWEN We're not going anywhere! ARTHUR I know you want to help. The women can't stay here. It's too dangerous. GWEN The women have as much right to fight for their lives as the men do! ARTHUR But none of you know how to fight. GWEN The more of us there are, the better chance we stand! women step forward. ARTHUR This is your home. If you want to fight to defend it, that's your choice. I'd be honoured to stand alongside you. Kanen attacks tomorrow. Kanen's brutal. He fights only to kill, which is why he will never defeat us. Look around. In this circle, we're all equals. You're not fighting because someone's ordering you to, you're fighting for so much more than that. You fight for your homes. You fight for your family. You fight for your friends. You fight for the right to grow crops in peace. And if you fall, you fall fighting for the noblest of causes: fighting for your very right to survive! And when you're old and grey, you'll look back on this day, and you'll know you earned the right to live every day in between! So you fight! For your family! For your friends! For Ealdor! villagers stand with swords raised. VILLAGERS & MERLIN For Ealdor! Ealdor! Ealdor! Ealdor! Ealdor! Ealdor! Ealdor! -- EALDOR, HUNITH’S HOUSE – NIGHT sits pensively in her home. Merlin enters and hangs up his jacket. HUNITH Come here. sits down beside her and she strokes his face. HUNITH I do love you, my boy. MERLIN What's wrong? HUNITH I should never have gone to Camelot. I've ruined everything for you. MERLIN You haven't. Why would you say that? HUNITH I know what you're planning to do. MERLIN (sigh) If it comes to a choice between saving people's lives and revealing who I really am, *shrugs* there is no choice. HUNITH You can't let Arthur know about your gift. MERLIN Why not? Maybe it's meant to be this way. And if he doesn't accept me for who I really am, then he's not the friend I hoped he was. -- WOODS – DAY stands watch. Gwen brings him a bowl of Hunith's home cooking. GWEN Arthur, Hunith made you some food. hands him the bowl. ARTHUR Thanks. turns to leave. ARTHUR (mutters) I think. stops and turns back around. GWEN Food is scarce for these people, you shouldn't turn your nose up at it! stares at her. GWEN Oh, no. I--I shouldn't've spoken to you like that. I'm sorry. ARTHUR Gwen. starts leaving. GWEN I'm sorry, I don't know what I was thinking. It won't happen again. ARTHUR Guinevere! turns to face him. ARTHUR Thank you. You're right. And you were right to speak up. I should've listened to you and Morgana. (mutters) We're going to need all the help we can get. GWEN We'll be fine. ARTHUR How can you be so sure? GWEN Because I have faith in you. I mean, we all do. ARTHUR Thank you. -- EALDOR, HUNITH’S HOUSE – DAY starts to help Arthur with his armour. ARTHUR No, not today. MERLIN Put on your own. dress for battle. Merlin struggles with the buckle on one of his bracers. Arthur helps him out. ARTHUR You ready? MERLIN My throat's dry. ARTHUR Me too. hold out his hand and Merlin shakes it. ARTHUR It's been an honour. MERLIN Whatever happens out there today, please don't think any differently of me. ARTHUR I won't. It's alright to be scared, Merlin. MERLIN That's not what I meant. ARTHUR What is it? If you've got something to say, now's the time to say it. MORGANA Arthur. They've crossed the river. -- EALDOR – DAY goes down the line of villagers, shaking hands. ARTHUR You ready? VILLAGER Ready. ARTHUR For Ealdor. reaches Gwen and shakes her hand. ARTHUR Are you frightened? GWEN Not in the slightest. Arthur, and Merlin take their hiding positions. Kanen and his men ride out of the woods and into the village. ARTHUR Hold. No one moves until they give the signal. and his men stop and look around the empty village. ARTHUR Hold. KANEN Come out, come out wherever you are. GWEN Now, pull! and a villager pull up a hidden gate, trapping the riders inside. Morgana tries to light a fire with flint. ARTHUR Now, Morgana. What are you waiting for? Something's gone wrong. rushes off. ARTHUR Merlin! spots Merlin running. KANEN There's one. Get him! dodges the arrow. KANEN Kill him! dodges again and reaches Morgana, still desperately trying to light a fire. MERLIN Give me the flint. hands them over and Merlin pretends to use them. MERLIN ''Baerne. '' lights a fire and a prepared line flames up, trapping the riders. KANEN Come back! Don't run away! men ride back into the village. ARTHUR Now! villagers give a battle cry as they spring out of hiding to fight. A rider comes up behind Merlin and Will jumps off a roof in his father's armour to unhorse the rider. MERLIN I didn't think you were coming. WILL Neither did I. and Will fight back to back. The villagers start losing. Merlin and Will stop to assess the situation. WILL There's too many of them. MERLIN Not for me there isn't. ''Cume thoden. '' conjures a windstorm, Arthur sees. the villagers start winning and the remaining bandits flee. Gwen and Morgana hug. Kanen marches out to face Arthur. KANEN Pendragon! fights Kanen and wins, running him through. then he marches angrily towards Merlin and Will. ARTHUR Who did that? MERLIN What? ARTHUR Wind like that doesn't just appear from nowhere. I know magic when I see it. One of you made that happen. MERLIN Arthur... picks up a crossbow and aims it at Arthur. WILL Look out! pushes Arthur out of the way and gets hit himself. Kanen dies. MERLIN Will! ARTHUR You just saved my life. WILL Yeah. Don't know what I was thinking. ARTHUR Come on! Get him inside! -- EALDOR, WILL’S HOUSE – DAY Arthur, and a couple village men carry Will inside. WILL That's twice I've saved you. ARTHUR Twice? WILL Yeah, it was me. I'm the one that used the magic. MERLIN Will, don't. looks at Merlin. WILL It's alright, Merlin. I won't be alive long enough for anyone to do anything to me. I did it. I saw how desperate things were becoming and I had to do something. ARTHUR You're a sorcerer? WILL Yeah. What are you gonna do? Kill me? ARTHUR No. Of course not. Do what you can for him. nods. Arthur puts his hand on Will's shoulder and then leads the women out. WILL I was right about him. I told you he was going to get me killed. MERLIN You're not going to die. WILL You're a good man, Merlin. A great man. And one day, you're going to be servant to a great king. Now you can still make that happen. MERLIN Thanks to you. WILL This place has been boring without you. It was good to see you again. MERLIN Yeah, you too. WILL Merlin. Merlin, I'm scared. MERLIN Don't be. It's going to be alright. WILL Merlin...*dies* villagers stand at Will's funeral pyre. ARTHUR I'm sorry. I know he was a close friend. MERLIN He still is. ARTHUR You knew he was a sorcerer, didn't you? That's what you were going to tell me? MERLIN Yes. It was. ARTHUR You know how dangerous magic is. You shouldn't've kept this from me, Merlin. walks over to Morgana and Gwen. Hunith walks over to Merlin. HUNITH You better be going. MERLIN I don't have to go. HUNITH Yes, you do. MERLIN If anything were to happen to you... HUNITH I know where to find you. You have to go, Merlin. You belong at Arthur's side. I've seen how much he needs you. How much you need him. You're like two sides of the same coin. MERLIN I've heard someone say that about us before. I'm going to miss you. hugs his mum. HUNITH I'm going to miss you , too. When you left, you were just a boy. Now look at you. I'm so proud of you. Morgana, Arthur, and Merlin ride for Camelot. HUNITH (voiceover) When the time is right, the truth will be known. Until then, you must keep your talents hidden. It's better for everyone. Category:Transcripts